Impossible celebrity couples

I just found an entertaining website (Worth1000), that seems to frequently have photoshop contests. I found one contest with the name of "Impossible celebrity couples", which proved to have a lot of amusing photoshopped pictures! Not all were that skilled, but a lot of them were: here's a couple of my favorites.

Audrey Hepburn and Justin Timberlake by claudia.

Buster Keaton and Tara Reid by controlfreak.

Charlize Theron and Charles Bickford by Mandrak.

Clark Gable and Madonna by Shorra.

Claudia Schiffer and Peter Sellers by Mandrak.

Eddie Murphy and Bette Davis by emilliom.

Elijah Wood and Jean Arthur by carmsie.

George Clooney and Elizabeth Taylor by juicebx75.

George Clooney and Grace Kelly by hank101.

Humphrey Bogart and Scarlett Johansson by MarcusBCS.

John Wayne and Heath Ledger by mzpresto.

Johnny Depp and Ingrid Bergman by frank1956.

Laurence Olivier and Scarlett Johansson by oilcorner.

 

Madonna and Fred Astaire by getuchito.

Marilyn Monroe and Jeff Goldblum by Errorquetzal.

Oliver Hardy and Mel Gibson by hechtal.

Robert Downey Jr and Joan Crawford by pcysmith.

W.C. Fields and Kirsten Dunst by pcysmith.

Woody Allen and Marilyn Monroe by Heztone.

And the most gruesome, but clever:

Vincent Price and Gwyneth Palthrow by NomeDaBoy.

Three essential movie reviews

I have a lot of catching up to do with the film reviewing after my 100-one-sentence-film-reviews project - and during that time I have seen no less than three films for the first time that I want to mention in this humble blog.

They are all very unique in their own way, and I will try to summarize the film experiences as best as I can. Hang on - we will start off at Berlin, then take a long trip down to South Korea, and then way back to Europe and the United Kingdom!

A Foreign Affair

Director: Billy Wilder

USA 1948

116 min

Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Jean Arthur, John Lund and Millard Mitchell, among others.

"Want to buy some illusions?
Slightly used
Just like new"

The songs Marlene Dietrich sings, in the form of the nightclub singer Ericha von Schlütow, tells a lot about what this film is about. Especially the powerful song "The Ruins of Berlin" makes it clear what the German people of the shattered remains of the capital city is in a kind of state of mind - trying to start a-new after a huge defeat.

A group of congressmen, and a strict congress lady played by Jean Arthur, is flown to Berlin after WWII to investigate the moral of the American troops in the city. As we can understand from scenes taking place in black markets and filthy nightclubs (to the tunes of "Polyushko Pole"), we understand that the moral could be better.

A little colorized Dietrich for ya!

Billy Wilder is one of those directors that could make a comedy out of this scenario (hard to get a mental picture of it, right?), and he does so in his usual intellectual manner. It's sometimes hard to laugh during the tragic and uncomfortable circumstances (especially since the surroundings are real - the film was shot in Berlin), but the feeling of triumph is overwhelming. I felt really pleased watching this film - and as I could suspect after only minutes into the film, the United States Department of Defence didn't approve of the film since it concerned such sensitive issues.

All the actors are at their absolute best too - I think they sensed that they were participated in something special. It's sad that Jean Arthur's career began to fail, and that she only made one more motion picture after A Foreign Affair. But how charming Arthur is, it's still Dietrich that steals every scene. It's simply brilliant to cast the German actress who's name could be find on Hitler's blacklist in the role of an ex-nazi seductress.





Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters)
Director: Ji-woon Kim
South Korea 2003
115 min
Starring: Su-jeong Lim, Geun-Young Moon, Jung-ah Yum and Kap-su Kim, among others.


A psychological horror/drama, that I believe everyone feels confused by after the first watching. Some people feel reluctant towards it because of it, but I think it's brilliant. Why? Because the more you go back and think about it, the more the puzzle pieces fit together. And - the cinematography! Simply stunning.

The story is based on a Korean folktale about two girls facing cruel fates because of an evil stepmother. The tale and the film do however not have more than the basic story line in common (I read the tale yesterday here) - the film adaptation has added a lot of interesting factors to a simple and uncomplicated story.

I can't reveal much of the plot without either giving away the ending or lie to you - but I can say that the main theme is about coping with overwhelming feelings of regret and guilt, and what kind of tricks your mind can play on you. What complicates things is that supernatural factors is blended in.




You get the main idea of what everything was about when you see the ending of the film. If there still are certain details that are puzzling you (what's with the fish in the fridge? what's with the seizure at the dinner? etc), I recommend a discussion thread on IMDb, where really devoted film enthusiasts have discussed every little detail of the film, and come up with a FAQ. You have the link here. (But do not read it before you have seen the film!)

All in all, A Tale of Two Sisters is one hell of a film experience - do not miss it.

Danish film poster. Brilliant, isn't it?

Kind Hearts and Coronets
Director: Robert Hamer
United Kingdom 1949
106 min
Starring: Dennis Price, Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood and Valerie Hobson, among others.


Have I mentioned that I love the British? I think so, but my adoration has reached an entirely new level. I'm in the seventh heaven of Britain.

Think British black comedy. Think Alec Guinness playing an entire part of a family tree, seen as eight different persons by the name of D'Ascoyne with a Duke on the top. (Well, nine persons if you include the oil painting of an ancestor, a painting for which Guinness modelled.) Think a narcissistic Joan Greenwood (seen in The Importance of Being Earnest, 1952) with her sweet whiskey voice. Think marvellous black and white footage. Think an upright English gentleman with a constant smirk on his face (Dennis Price, whom I now am in love with) as the main character. Think about him being a distant and poor relative to the Duke of D'Acoyne, settled to win the Duke title by all means necessary.

There you have Kind Hearts and Coronets. This is that kind of a film that you instantly feel a desperate need to re-watch immediately - it's that good. It's clever, it's bold, it's marvellous.




Why do I love the British? Their kind of humor is the one that suits me most - refined and rather stiff on the surface, completely bizarre and unlimited underneath. I never seize to be surprised, and I laugh hysterically. By myself. Me and my fat cat. Patting it, mumbling "You only live twice, Mr. Beuund..."

Jesus. I need some sleep. Here's a colorized Joan Greenwood for you, that I was pretty proud of:

Dogs and celebrities #1

Clara Bow (1905-1965)

Jean Arthur (1900-1991)

Cary Grant (1904-1986)

Vera-Ellen (1921-1981)

Billie Burke (1884-1970)

Thelma Todd (1905-1935)

Renée Adorée (1898-1933)

Basil Rathbone (1892-1967)

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)

Encore du blog award!

Wonderful Kate Gabrielle gave me the Friendly Blogger Award from her new flapper doodle blog. She's so sweet.
I have no idea whether the award means that I'm a friendly blogger, or if my blog is friendly (?), but I'm very grateful! I put my guess on the first alternative, since I don't know how "blog friendly" Betty Page striptease videos and photos of a dead Thelma Todd is...

Anyway - it's time for me to deal the award to friendly bloggers! And the first award goes to... Kate Gabrielle for her original blog Silents and Talkies! That, my dear friends, is a friendly blog! Always interesting, funny and surprising. Check it out if you haven't!


Other blog winners are:

Manuel at Coisas do arco da velha - You'll never know what's up next on his frequently updated blog! Is it classic film stars? Is it surrealistic paintings? Campy film clips or erotic art?

The Classic Maiden - A devoted classic film nerd who updates us of every single film she sees, whether it's pre-code films or Japanese anime. And she has an on-going project of viewing almost all of Kay Francis' films.

Alexis at Ingrid Bergman Life and Films - How could one not love a blog dedicated to everything about and around the Swedish wonder Ingrid Bergman? And when it's done in such an honourable and yet easily accessible way.

Robby Cress at Dear Old Hollywood - It's always fascinating to read about his escapades around and among the buildings of the golden age of Hollywood. Robby writes his posts in a way that makes you feel welcome and absorbed.

C. K. Dexter Haven at Hollywood Dreamland - I always give him an award, and he deserves them all! If you love the gone days of Hollywood, check out this popular blog.

An last, but not at all least: Jonas at All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing! - Jonas specializes in his passion of the early talkie era of Hollywood. Always fascinating reading, and as I said to him a couple of days ago: What lacks in frequency of his blog posts is well covered with quality and passion. This is by far one of my favourite blogs!


I tried to deal the award to blogs that Kate didn't already give it to, and I hope that no one is left crying in despair! If so, maybe he/she/it will be happy by a colorized photo of Gary-the-divine-Cooper and Jean Arthur I made today. Peace out!

Day After Day with James Stewart

Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart in The Shopworn Angel (1938).

Yeah, I know that the wonderful Elizabeth at the always thrilling blog Oh By Jingo! Oh By Gee! already posted this. But since it gives me goose bumps all over, I simply need to have it on my blog also! It is James Stewart singing Day After Day, and he really sings wonderful.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Director: Frank Capra
USA 1939
129 min


Holy Mackerel! This is a great film.
James Stewart plays the role of Jefferson Smith, a naive and hopeful man who, by the spineless governor of his state, is appointed to fill a vacancy in the US Senate. Unfortunately he collides with political corruption and gets dragged through the mud in the press.





Mr. Smith is the head of the Boy Rangers, and sees now his chance to start a national boy's camp and comes up with a legislation to authorize a federal government loan to buy a piece of land for that business. The loan will then be paid for by the contributions of the boy's camp's members. Donations starts to pour in immediately by mail.
The corrupt government, however, has other plans for that particular piece of land, and tries to make Smith their ally. When he still wants to go through with his plans (with the help of Clarissa Saunders, played by the adorable Jean Arthur) the government instead tries to smear the name of Mr. Smith. They ridicule him in the newspapers and come up with lies about his intentions of the boy's camp to get him out of the Congress.

Jim Taylor and Senator Joseph Paine.

Claude Rains plays Senator Joseph Paine, an old-time friend of Mr. Smith's father. He is torn between his personal feelings for Mr. Smith, and the will of his political boss Jim Taylor (Edward Arnold), who helped him to be successful in politics, and quickly could make him powerless. You can almost not recognize Rains by appearance in this role, and the only different thing is that his hair is white and he's got spectacles on his nose.




As the beautiful daughter of Joseph Paine, Susan, Astrid Allwyn steals the two scenes she appears in. The first of those, were she meets Mr. Smith and "turns the glamour" on him, making him so nervous that he drops his hat about three times, is very amusing.

Senator Joseph Paine and his daughter Susan finds Mr. Smith very amusing.

From the telephone scene with Astrid Allwyn and Jean Arthur.

Scene: Saunders finds Mr. Smith in despair by the Lincoln monument.

"It's a forty foot dive into a tub of water, but I think you can do it."

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington caused a lot of angry feelings around the country by Washington insiders, who thought they were pictured in a false and negative way. One of the real Senators even walked out from the screening he attended in disgust. But on the opposite side the film was rejected by fascists, nazists and communists in Europe for showing that democracy can work.
Director Frank Capra got anyhow letters years afterwards buy people being inspired by the film to go into politics.

The at first cynical Saunders is inspired by Mr. Smith's enthusiasm and energy, and soon finds herself falling for him.

From the filibuster scene.

The last line in this film might be one of the best ones ever, spoken by Jean Arthur:


Clarissa Saunders: [shouts] Yippee!

A couple of nice film posters.